Location: San José, Costa Rica

Established: 1929

Accreditation: Joint Commission International

Specialties: Orthopedics, weight loss surgery, cardiology, general surgery, gynecology

Total # of Doctors in the Hospital: 250 nurses in total

Total # of Nurses in the Hospital: 155 nurses in total

Total Nurse to Patient Ratio: 1 Nurse per 4 patients

Private rooms: 120

International Department: Yes

Founded in 1929, Hospital Clinica Biblica is a world-class medical institution with state-of-the-art facilities and medical services. Located in San José, Costa Rica, the hospital boasts a 50 million dollar infrastructure (including a new 35 million dollar hospital building) and can handle anything from life-threatening emergencies and leading-edge procedures, to medical checkups or a facelift. The hospital received Joint Commission International in late 2007.

Specialties

As a general hospital, Clinica Biblica offers its patients a wide variety of procedures and surgeries using cutting-edge technologies and techniques. Among its specialties are orthopedics, weight loss surgeries, cardiology, general surgeries and gynecological procedures.

Highly Qualified Medical Staff

The hospital has an extensive team of qualified specialist and surgeons most of which are bilingual and have graduated or received extensive training from North American and European institutions.

All-Inclusive service

In conjunction with the above, and in order to make their patient’s stay as relaxing and stress-free as possible, each patient receives VIP personalized services that extend beyond customary hospital care. Through the hospital’s International Department each prospective patient is assigned a personal Health Care Assistant (HCA) who works one on one to coordinate an all-embracing service experience that includes:

• Doctor contact, consultations and surgical procedures
• paperwork and price quotes
• hospital admittance and bedside follow up and assistance
  • Coordinating contact with family via phone or email post surgery
• VIP Concierge services (superior class lodging, transfers and sightseeing tours)
  • Airport pick up/drop off and assistance through immigration
  • Recovery Retreat and Hotel accommodations
    • Regular visits by a qualified nurse and staff
    • Patient follow up back home

Accreditation / Certificates

Clinica Biblica's qulaity approval is accredited by Joint Commission International.

Joint Commission International has found Clinica Biblica, meet the "International Health Care Quality Standards" for patient care and organization management.

Below is the list of Hospital Clínica Bíblica's patients video testimonials!

• Reginald Ayre / Gastric Bypass
• Denis Thornton / Medical check-up
• Vincent Adamo / Spinal Surgery
• Patrick Mac Dowell / Hernia Repair

Patient Testimonials:

Troy Wilson

USA
Total Hip Replacement

Dear Hospital Clinica Biblica:

I cannot begin to describe my feelings - I had no life at all - the degeneration in my hip kept me bedbound and the pain made me not care about life anymore. And the cost to me as an uninsured American in an American hospital would have been over $50,000.00, which was beyond my means at the time. My total cost at Clinica Biblica, which included airfare for two and the recovery center for ten days with rehab therapy and all meals for two people, was right around $18,500... Roughly 1/3 the cost of the hospital alone in America. This is an incredible bargain that essentially made it possible for me to have a life worth living once again.

I won't even go into my feelings regarding the quality of American hospital care vs. Costa Rican hospital care.. I'll save that for the interview, except to say that I never hope to be put in another American hospital again. I'm already planning my next visit to Clinica Biblica for some neurological work - Jan says this time I need a TBR (Total Brain Replacement.)

It might be easier for you just to forward this email to your journalist. It might stimulate some questions in him or her.

I am soon going to write Dr. Oeding my three-month report and I need to thank Isabel. But you guys will all see us again before very long. 

My thanks to all of you.

B. Smith

Bozeman MT.
Prostatectomy

Dear Bill,

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you and Starlene once
again for your gracious service and support. Starting in 2008, with
Dr. Cortez and most recently, with Dr. Orlich, we must complement you both on a quality service that we will not forget.

Should we have any need for further medical services, we certainly
would look no farther than Clinica Biblica.

Sincerely,

Judy Vent

Canada
Gastric Sleeve

Dear Hospital Clinica Biblica,

Just wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you. My sister Ronnee Chapman especially wanted to thank you for all your help in trying to get hold of me and to find out my status.

I also wish to send my best as the surgery, although a little more extensive than Dr. Zafrani anticipated went smoothly. It was quite traumatic initially for me, However because of all your and Starline and Roger's efforts I was much more calm and settled by the time zero hour arrived. My recovery is going so much better than I expected so again thanks a million. I'll make sure to call and to see you in your office on Wed. 2/13 when I see the Doc for a follow up exam. Please extend my thanks to all your staff, cecil and Roger and I must not forget your brother Brad. Kudos to you all.

Patrick MacDowell

Calabash, NC
Laparoscopic Hernia Repair

Hello Hospital Clinica Biblica,

I hope that all is well with you and your family.

I thought it not only proper and appropriate but also something from the heart was necessary to say a sincere thank you to you and your staff for all of your efforts. It is you who has made my life change for the better in ways that I can never fully repay. I know that repayment is not what you are about. Nor is the rest of your staff. I simply can not even now fully realize the depth and extent of how this experience has and will change my life for the better. I feel like a new man and you have completely educated me in how a hospital/patient relationship can and should be. We said that "you always shoot for 100%" well fear not my friend, you have far surpassed the 100% mark and I will never caiyate and I will continue to speak to anyone who will listen about your program and its merits. Best of luck, you deserve the best.

Thank you from one who considers you a friend,

Take care,

Dorita deLemos Down

Bethesda, Maryland
Eyelid Surgery

Dear Hospital Clinica Biblica:

Again, please accept my sincerest thanks for the great care Hospital Clinica Biblica provided for my sensitive medical need.  I have nothing short of admiration, appreciation and supportive comments for the treatment, the medical attention, both the administrative as well as the medical staff.  Believe me, I shall be voicing these feelings to who-ever will hear me here in the Washington, DC metro area.  Remember, I work with medical staff from National Institutes of Health, several hospitals, doctors, nurses, medical social workers, therapy and support medical staff.

I think your facility is one of the finest I have had the pleasure of being treated at, and it would give me great pleasure to not only recommend you to friends and relatives, but also to recommend you to some of the hospitals with whom I work with my lecture and seminar series on Stroke and its after math.

Thank you Cecilio, I am grateful and pleased for the services rendered.

Sincerely,

Charles Rychner

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Total Knee Replacement

Hello Bill,

Our experience  with the Clinca Biblica Hospital, it's medical staff  and the  professionals of the international department was truly extraordinary, from the first contact, through the difficult knee replacement surgery, to the last day there.

Always responsive, in a most helpful and caring way, these fine people maintain an excellent facility and first rate medical care system.

Our surgeon was available, communicative and supportive at all times. His excellent work was noted by my orthopedic surgeon, after I returned home.

My wife and I are especially grateful to Bill, Rogellio and Starlene of the international department for guiding us through this process, proactively addressing our needs and often exceeding our expectations.

Steven H. Goodman and Edith S. Davis

Kansas City, Kansas
Gall bladder Removal & Lap band removal

Dear Clinica Biblica Hospital,

Given the superb quality of your service to your patients and their families, I should doubt that you need additional testimonials.  Rather, you need to let people know that the quality of health care in Costa Rica equals or exceeds that available in the US at a fraction of the cost.  Everyone we dealt with in the entire process made us feel comfortable and welcome, in spite of our inability to speak Spanish.

Your department serving international guests helped remove the fear of being in a “foreign” country.  We always felt safe, secure, and well attended.

Our case was probably unusual in that the entire matter needed to be arranged in virtually no time.  But the facilitator we used found Hospital Clinica Biblica, and the right surgeon for my wife’s needs.  And they did it very quickly.

It was not hard to verify your references. The hospital, doctors, staff, and particularly your International Department, lived up to the advanced billing.

The medical recovery facility we stayed at, Che Tica Ranch, was excellent in all respects.  You can recommend them to anyone in complete comfort.

I’m not particularly good at thank you letters, but everyone involved has earned one.  Please pass this on to Dr. Jacobo Zafrani, the wonderful nurses, your staff (especially Starlene), and to Ruben and Lorena Martin at Che Tica.

The next time we need medical services, we are likely to return to Costa Rica.  Only next time, perhaps we can stay an extra few days and see some more of the country.

Our thanks and gratitude to one and all.

Jim Rowse

Melbourne, Florida
Medical check-up

Dear Clinica Biblica Hospital,

I am 58 years old, have been to Costa Rica many times with my wife and family.  I had never had a comprehensive physical exam.  I visited the Hospital Clinica Biblica in San Jose, Costa Rica on November 13, 2007 for the Executive check-up A.  I found the Hospital on the internet.  My contacts were Bill Cook and Starlene Spencer.

During my contacts with the hospital via email, I had all of my questions answered quickly.  Answers to my emails sometimes came within minutes but always arrived within that same day.  I was able to set everything up and have an appointment within three days!  Bill and Starlene quickly provided all of the information that I needed.

I arrived in San Jose the day before and stayed at a hotel that was within walking distance of the Hospital.  I walked to the Hospital that day to retrieve two specimen cups to bring in the required samples.  I met both Bill and Starlene that day.  The hospital is very modern.  The first floor area is light and open with two restaurants and many impeccably clean tables with seats.  After visiting many areas of the Hospital during the tests, I’ll have to say that it was cleaner and better organized for us visitors than the Hospitals in Melbourne, Florida.

The following day I arrived for my 8:00 appointment and was met Starlene who was my escort for the day, taking me to different areas of the Hospital for my tests and then rejoining me after the test to take me to the next one.  She also acted as interpreter with anyone who did not speak fluent English (I think there were only two).  I was “fast-tracked” through the appointments, never waiting more than 5 minutes.  My blood was drawn first and I have been through nightmares with this in the Army.  I felt only pressure from the needle and when the tech changed to the second vial, she was steady as a rock, with no jabbing or needle movement which was really amazing.

The endoscopy, which I had been dreading, was a breeze.  I was put on a gurney, given the sedative and the next thing I knew, I was wide awake (no drowsiness) and there was no throat soreness.  Note: you sign a document that informs you of possible complications from this procedure and you sign it to give your consent).  This caught my attention but after my experience, I would recommend this to anyone.  I spent over half an hour with a nutritionist near the end of the day with her referencing my border-line high cholesterol and I spent over an hour with a Doctor at the end of the day, going over the results of all the tests.

I left the Hospital with all of my test results except the results of a biopsy that was taken during the endoscopy.  The results from this, which were negative, were emailed to me about a week later in the form of a JPEG document which I printed with my photo software.

I visited my family Doctor about three weeks later to review the test package.  Much of it was in Spanish, but he had no trouble understanding since the medical terms had the same root word as English.  He was amazed at the thoroughness of the exams, the interpretation of the results and the price!  He told me the endoscopy would have cost more than the entire trip, including the Hotel in Melbourne, Florida.  And that was only the test and not $400.00 - $500.00 for the Doctor’s evaluation.

Dale and Vince Dugdale

Iowa, USA
Total Knee Replacement

Dear Clinica Biblica Hospital,

Bill, Roger and Starlene, of your international department, were not only professionals, but they were compassionate to me and my father’s needs.  You couldn’t have done a better job.  Much appreciated.

Regarding the hospital room, the nurses were extremely professional and thorough.  They helped me every time I needed it.  The doctor’s were very professional, very thorough in explaining procedure and very informative.  In the last seven years I have had eight doctors and your treatment to me has been better than all eight doctors combined.  Thanks for your great care.

Regarding the hotel room, first two days a little noisy, room 105.  Then moved to room 502 which was perfect.  Excellent maid service.  Very clean conditions.  Very satisfied.

Overall, excellent experience, especially Costa Rica´s health care system.

Thank you very much!

Kathie Foy

German town, Tennessee
Total Knee Replacement

Dear Bill,

I am wanting to thank you and Roger and your staff personally, Dr. Oeding, the hospital staff, The Casa Conde Hotel, and my travel guides for my recent stay in Costa Rica for a total knee replacement.

There is so much to be thankful for in finding you.  I do not know hardly where to begin.

First, my initial contact with you was by e-mail on Friday evening, July 13, 2007.  You called me back on Monday and from there we e-mailed and talked daily, sometimes 2 & 3 times.  You reassured me during a very stressful time and only after I was sure in my mind that I could receive quality care, did I make the heartfelt decision to go to Costa Rica.  I still had plenty of doubts regarding safety, transportation, lodging, and communication, all of which quickly disappeared as soon as I arrived.  Had I not been there for such serious surgery, I would have thought I was in a vacation resort spa.

The fact that I had to do absolutely nothing except show up is what is really incredible.  You made all of the arrangements for me as soon as I arrived until I left.  My doctor and surgery visits, including nursing and rehab care after I left the hospital, my meals, hotel needs, and tours- not one thing was overlooked by you or your staff.  Never would I have imagined that all this could have been possible at 80% less than I was about to pay here.  Not one price was changed after the fact.  What you told me in the beginning is what I paid.  I am sincerely grateful to you for the honesty.

I am especially grateful to Dr. Oeding for the excellent quality of his work.  Because of his work, my rehab has gone exceptionally well and I am much further along in my progress than I would have ever imaged.  Having gone through a total knee replacement on my other leg in 2001, this rehab cannot even compare to the previous one.  The less invasive technique which Dr. Oeding used is half the incision length of my other leg.  Of course that means less pain, less healing, faster rehab, etc.  The comparison of surgeons is that there is none.  Of the less invasive technique, my surgeon here said, “I see no benefit, either to the patient or the doctor in doing the surgery any different than what was done the last time”.  How arrogant!!

Only after my last consultation, as I was getting ready to go home, did I find out that the agreed upon date of surgery, Friday, July 27th, was not a surgery day for Dr. Oeding.  He scheduled me in order to fit into my schedule.  How awesome!  That would have never happened here.  Not once did I have difficulty in communicating, either with the hospital staff or the staff at the Casa Conde.  If someone answered in Spanish, they quickly replied in English or got someone who could speak English.  How refreshing!  The nurses genuinely cared for my well being and made sure that the pain and antibiotic medication was administered as prescribed.  Not once did I have to ask for additional pain medication.

Lastly, the icing on the cake were the tours and visits around Costa Rica.  The San Jose tour the day I arrived, the dinner and folklore dancers at the scenic restaurant Tiquicia, the coffee and banana plantation tour the day I got out of the hospital, the volcano and tour of Lancaster Gardens of the University of Costa Rica and the typical traditional meals with Dany, my tour guide.  Who wouldn’t want to come back?  I look forward to seeing you all later in the year.

Thank you again and God bless you all!

Your New Best Friend,

Tratamientos facilitados por Hospital Clínica Bíblica